What follows is my treatment on perspective drawing. If you want books to read on the topic, I recommend How To Draw: Drawing and Sketching Objects and Environments from Your Imagination by Scott Robertson or Perspective Made Easy by Ernest Norling.
Imagine a photograph set up on an easel. The photograph shows exactly the scenery behind it. If you stand in front of the photograph at exactly the correct location, the photograph blends perfectly into the background. However, if you move away slightly from this perfect spot, the illusion breaks.
An analysis of the mechanics underlying this illusion will reveal the basic principles of perspective drawing.